Category over 105 kg.
In connection with the fact that the organizers of the Vendetta All Stars - Armfight # 50 collected almost the whole bunch of arm wrestling stars, Zloty's heavyweights’ class seems to become pretty empty.
Two Georgian athletes, Levan Saginashvili and Genadi Kvikvinia are now in the rating armfights, and for many participants in the heavyweight category this is a huge chance to show themselves. Also the battle for the World Cup will lack: Dave Chafee, Andrei Pushkar, Denis Tsyplenkov, Devon Larratt, Vitaly Laletin, as well as the opening of the last year's tournament - Alex Kurdecha.
What do we have in the bottom line? Is the category 105+ "empty" and not spectacular now?
I think that Dmitry Silaev, the current world champion from Russia, would categorically disagree with this statement. We all know perfectly well that Dima has stepped over the status of just promising young athlete long time ago and is a well-established professional arm wrestler now. This year, Silaev has every chance to compete for the cherished Professional World Cup and openly declares his champion ambitions.
He can probably be accompanied by other Russian pros such as Georgy Lyashchuk and Zaur Paizulayev, who have already shown themselves on the Zloty Tur 2017 , and finished quite high in the final protocol. The Russian team has always been famous for its heavyweights, so I personally would be interested in seeing other sportsmen: Gazimagomed Gazimagomedov, known as the "Iron Hand", Zakhar Bagayev, Dmitry Pavin, Andrei Barskov. All these guys - almost stepped on the heels of Silayev in the last national championship, and can properly make a buzz in the heavy category at the upcoming Zloty Tur.
Belarussian team will put forward in the category over 105 kg their stars - Alexandr Yankovskiy (last year Silver prize-winner right hand), Vyacheslav Sharagovich and Dmitry Shmyko.
Many of you probably seen the titanic confrontation of Vyacheslav and Dmitry at the Belarus Nationals, when they showed up a severe fight. All of them are candidates for the fight in the top-10 of the heavyweight class and having a good shape and a lucky draw - even for the prize places in the category. Do these guys have a chance to pull for the gold? In my opinion, Yankovsky has a chance first of all, but for this he needs to significantly progress in his strength indicators.
I expect very much the appearance of the Georgian athletes at the tournament, especially one of them.
Revaz Lutidze, according to our friends from Georgian team, in his best shape can impose a complicated struggle even to his teammates - Levan and Genadi. Will he manage to gain his best shape and fight for the “Zloty Tur” gold - is absolutely unknown by now.
Italians, as usual, are likely to come by their traditional squad.
David Cappa and Manuel Bataglia are experienced enough athletes, but whether they still have a reserve of progress for their success at this year’s World Cup is also unknown.
Eccentric Sabin Badulescu from Romania, who sparkled in preliminary stage of European Championship 2017 in the match with Levan Saginashvili on the right hand, could be a real candidate for a title of a new champion of the super heavyweight category among pros, but after that victory, Sabin hasn’t surprised the fans of armwrestling with anything. Many considered that victory accidental, lucky grip, Levan’s mistake, but not the result of Badulescu’s “super shape”. Well, maybe in Levan’s and Genadi’s absence in the tournament grid , Sabin will get a new motivation and we will see anew level of the athlete. his teammate - Ion Puskasu - became 4th at the Worlds and can become a serious problem for other athletes in the category as well. Besides a good technique, this athlete is widely known by his extraordinary strong grip. There are a lot of videos online with his closing of the well-known expander, which the international certification is made on.
From Ukrainian team we are waiting for the battle of Dmitry Ionov and Aleksey Semerenko.
Dmitry shows linear progress in many tournaments for several years in a row and the shape of Semerenko is completely different from the one we are used to. I hope that this year Alexey found the opportunity to prepare for the Zloty Tur purposefully and his form will once again please the spectators of the world arm wrestling. As for the forecasts for Ionov's fight, it's worth paying attention to the results of Dima's struggle with his left hand: last year he has stopped a one step from the cherished medal of the World Cup, and one can safely assume that this year he will swing at least to the medal zone.
Among the heavyweights from Bulgaria can be noticed only Georgy Tsvetkov, last year he became 4th in the category 105+.
I doubt that he will enter the fight for the gold of the category, however, one can safely assume that his fight will be inconvenient for very many participants in the category.
The violator of the Dmitry Trubin’s calm regime of "resting" on the laurels, the Azerbaijani Mirtaleh Aslanov - can be a real threat to any sportsman in the category.
That victory over Trubin in the Arnold Classic, probably gave Aslanov a new charge of motivation and faith in his own strength. Mirtaleh is progressing and has chosen for himself the path of development in a professional armwrestling environment. Most recently, he was the winner of a match with the star of Brazilian sport, Wagner Bartolato, which indicates his progress.
Athletes from Turkey, Arif Ertem and Bora Güner are longtime leaders of their team in the heavyweight division.
Last year there was only Arif on “Zloty Tur”, but he failed to show a significant result in the fight. Bora Güner recently became a prize-winner of the European championship, so if he comes to the Professional World Cup, expect him to fight well.
Stably strong Swedes, for some reason do not go to fight among the professionals, and it's a bit strange.
The leader of the Swedish national team Erik Falgreen is one of the most promising heavy weight athletes, who recently became the offender of many eminent arm wrestlers of heavy weight. I hope this article will force Eric to think and to buy inexpensive tickets for the brightest event in the world of our sport in time. It is possible that this Swedish star will rise in the sky of the world professional armwrestling.
What will the overseas guests offer to the European arm wrestling?
I think that Brazil will send its top armwrestler - Wagner Bartolato - and his appearance at the Zloty Tur will become a real comeback. And, albeit, Wagner has not yet scored his best shape, he can use the time that is left before the World Cup by the maximum. Perhaps, this bright sportsman will again be able to break into the elite of the world arm wrestling.
The US team is unlikely to leave the tournament without its participation. Though it looks like for historical reasons we will not see the main hooligan in the history of PAL - Travis Badgent. King of the “Kings’ move” and one of the most charismatic and powerful arm wrestlers of the world, Michael "Monster" Todd, who did not get into matches of the Vendetta All Stars this year, is highly expected in the tournament grid, and I predict that he will be the key candidate for the World Cup gold.
Canada can be represented by its new star, Matt Mask, and I would now give him the nickname Matt "Cosmos" Mask, not only because of his namesake Ilon, who conquered the cosmic expanses of our universe, but also for his starry, cosmic struggle at the table. Even now, Mask gives battle to Devon Larratt himself, and we are all in anticipation of his appearance on the Zloty Tur.
Now - the ungrateful part. Forecasts.
Well, friends, the Zloty Tur 2018 awaits the arrival of the strongest athletes, and the category 105+ is no exception. I am confident that the fight for the gold medal will unfold between Michael Todd and Dmitry Silaev and there are more than enough contenders for the third place in this category.
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